Vapor driven motors

ABSTRACT

A rotatable wheel through which a plurality of similar, axially spaced, tubular fluid-containing spokes diametrically extend, each spoke terminating at each of its extremities in a fluid chamber, the fluid chambers of each spoke being directed in circumferential directions exteriorally of said wheel. An individual electrical heating element positioned in each fluid chamber, the elements being electrically and individually connected to contacts arranged in a concentric series on said wheel so as to be individually, successively and electrically contacted to energize the elements on the rising side of said wheel to force the liquid through each spoke to the descending side of said wheel to gravitationally impart rotation to the latter.

United States Patent n51 3,659,416 Brown 1 May 2, 1972 [54] VAPOR DRIVEN MOTORS Primary xaminer-Martin P. Schwadron [72] Inventor 32:3; g giz gg Jackson street Assistant Examiner-Allen M. Ostrager Attorney-R. H. Galbreath [22] Filed: July 14, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 54,776 [57] ABS CT A rotatable wheel through which a plurality of similar, axially spaced, tubular fluid-containing spokes diametrically extend, [52] U.S.Cl ..60/25 each spoke terminating at each of its extremities in a fluid [51] "F038 7/06 F033 3/02 chamber, the fluid chambers of each spoke being directed in [58] 0 Search circumferential direcfions exteriorany of said wheel- [56] References Cit d An individual electrical heating element positioned in each fluid chamber, the elements being electrically and individually v UNIT D STATE TE T connected to contacts arranged in a concentric series on said wheel so as to be individually, successively and electrically gs; contacted to energize the elements on the rising side of said 259789o 5/1952 Monk wheel to force the liquid through each spoke to the descending side of said wheel to gravitationally impart rotation to the FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 295 3/1888 Great Britain ..60/25 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEBMAY 2 I972 3,659,416 sum '1 UP 3 IN VENTOR. $190.40 imam v PATENTEUMAY 2 I972 SHEET 2 BF 3 %Z///////////////////////////Z a IN VENTOK /%9/?az0 Aiken A BY prawn 5y PATENTEDMM 21912 3,659, 11 6 IN VENTOR.

E flm'aza 590W VAPOR DRIVEN MOTORS This invention relates generally to what might be termed a vapor engine, that is, to a power source which is actuated from alternate expansion and contraction of the vapor from a.

sealed volatile fluid medium which characteristically is a liquid that can be readily vaporized and condensed by thermal variations.

The principal object of the present invention is to reduce the complexity and increase the eli'rciency of prior vapor engines and to provide a relatively simple rotatably mounted wheel having a plurality of equally spaced, diametrically mounted, fluid-containing spokes, each spoke terminating in a fluid chamber at each of its extremities and each fluid chamber being provided with a self-contained thermal unit which can be individually actuated to successively force fluid from said wheel to the fluid containers on the descending side of said wheel to create continuous gravitational unbalance to said wheel.

A further object is to provide a thermal unit for the above purpose which can be readily embedded in the fluid of each fluid chamber and which can be individually and successively energized as each chamber approaches the rising side to vaporize and force the fluid therefrom to the descending side of said wheel.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the basic form of the improved vapor driven motor;

FIG. 2 is a right-side elevational view thereof;

. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3- 3, FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a similar cross sectional view taken on the line 4- 4, FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, detail, fragmentary section taken on v the line 5-5, FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the principle of operation of the gravitationally actuated motor.

The fluid employed herein may be water or any other volatile fluid medium capable of ready evaporation. The fluid is indicated on the drawing at 10 in FIG. 6.

The improved motor employs a rotatable wheel consisting of a cylindrical cup-shaped drum 11 having a circular end wall 12 from which awheel shaft 13 fixedly, axially, and horizontally protrudes. The shaft 13 is horizontally joumaled in a conventional anti-friction bearing 14 formed on a pedestal 15 which protrudes vertically from a suitable supporting base 16. The shaft 13 is provided with any suitable power transmission device, such as indicated by a belt sheave 17.

Any desired number of hollow tubular spokes extend diametrically through the drum 10 in axially spaced and radially spaced relation.

As illustrated, there are four tubular spokes, as indicated by the numerals 18, 19, 20, and 21, mounted at their extremities in and through the cylindrical wall 12 of the drum 11 in any suitable manner such as by means of conventional externally and internally threaded pipe nipples 22. An elbow fitting 23 is sealed in and extends forwardly of the direction of rotation, from each nipple '22 and each elbow fitting supports, and connects with, and is sealed to, one extremity of a fluid chamber 24 on the exterior of the drum 11. The fluid chambers extend forwardly from the direction of rotation of each spoke.

The fluid chambers 24 are cylindrical and are preferably, but not necessarily, longitudinally arcuate so as to substantially correspond to the external curvature of the drum 11.

The elbow fittings 23 eccentrically enter the trailing extremity of each fluid chamber 24 so as to be positioned adjacent the radially distant wall of the latter, to facilitate complete expulsion of the fluid 10 from the fluid chambers 24 as they approach the bottom of the wheel.

The leading extremity of each fluid chamber is sealed by a threaded, electrically insulated header 25 which supports a tubular electrical resistance immersion heater 26 (commercially known as a Calrod) in place within each fluid chamber 24 to which electric current may be fed through a pair of binding screws 27 as is conventional with Calrod installations.

In the present instance one of the binding screws 27 of each heater 26 is electrically grounded. The other binding screw of each pair is electrically connected, as indicated at 28, to a conventional spring loaded brush contact 29. The brush contacts 29 protrude through the end wall 12 as an annular series of uniformly spaced brush contacts which are concentrically positioned on the exterior of the end wall 12 as shown in FIG. 3.

A circular commutator disc 30 provided with an axial attachment flange 31 is concentrically mounted on the shaft bearing 14, against which, the brush contacts 29 frictionally bear. The commutator disc 30 is provided with a concentric, arcuate, inset contact leaf 32 over which the brush contacts 29 will successively slide to close circuits to the immersion heaters 26 as the wheel rotates. The circumferential position of the contact leaf 32 can be adjusted and preset on the bearing 14 through the medium of a suitable set screw 33.

OPERATION It is believed the operation of the improved motor will be understood by those skilled in the art from the above description of the construction.

Briefly, referring to FIG. 6, let us assume: that one of the pair of binding screws 27 in each heater 26 is grounded, as indicated by the letter G; that one pole of a battery 34 or other source of electrical energy is also grounded as indicated at 33; that the other pole of the battery is connected to the contact leaf 32, as shown at 36; and that the commutator disc 30 has been preset by the set screw 33 substantially in the position of the diagram of FIG. 6.

It can be seen that when the rotating wheel is in the position of FIG. 6 the electric circuits are closed, at the contact leaf 32, to the fluid chambers on the rising side of the wheel and are open to the chambers on the descending side thereof. The result is: vapor pressure is building up in spoke 20; the built-up pressure is forcing the fluid from the lower chamber on spoke 17 to fill the upper chamber thereon; and the rising chambers on spokes 18 and 19 are being maintained substantially empty so that the wheel is unbalanced so as to maintain gravitational rotation as long as electrical supply is maintained.

The spokes may be of any desired diameters and length. The greater the length, the greater the leverage thereon. There may be any desired number of spokes. The number can be increased by simply increasing the width'of the drum 11 to allow cross over" space. The greater the number the greater the power developed. The lengths and diameters of the fluid chambers may be as desired to obtain the most efficient results.

It is preferred to exhaust all air from each spoke and its associated chambers before final sealing. This lowers the necessary vaporization temperature and also assists in driving the fluid back and forth between the terminal chambers.

Since there are no exhaust gases from this motor it should greatly asist in the reduction of smog and atmospheric contamination.

While each spoke amembly, as illustrated consists of seven elements, to wit, two chambers 24; two elbow fittings 25; two nipples 22 and one spoke, it conceivably may be a single unit cast, molded, or blown integrally.

While a selected fonn of the invention has been above described, it is understood that mechanical variations and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A vapor driven motor comprising:

a. a rotatabledrum mounted on a horizontal axis;

b. a plurality of equally spaced fluid-containing, similar spokes diametrically mounted in said drum;

c. a fluid chamber mounted on and communicating with each extremity of each spoke;

d. a plurality of individual electrically powered heating elements each of which is associated with one of said fluid chambers; and I e. means for successively and individually energizing the elements on the ascending side of said drum so as to thermally drive fluid through each spoke to the fluid chambers on the descending side of said drum to create rotative unbalance.

2. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 1 in which the spokes comprise:

a. straight hollow tubes passing through the axis of said rum in drum spaced apart side by side relation.

3. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 1 in which the fluid chambers comprise:

a. elongated chambers connected at their one extremity to the opposite extremities of their respective spokes so as to lead and preceed the latter in the common plane of rotation of the outer extremity of each spoke.

4. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 3 in which the heating element comprises:

a. a tubular electrical resistance element,

b. an insulated heater mounted in the leading extremity of each chamber and supporting the resistance element internally of the chamber.

5. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 1 in which the means for successively and individually energizing the elements comprises:

a. an annular series of brush contacts axially positioned on one extremity of said drum;

b. a commutator disc axially and stationarily positioned adjacent said latter one extremity;

c. an electrical contact leaf mounted on said disc so as to be frictionally and successively contacted by said brush contacts as said drum rotates; and

d. an electrical conductor connecting each element with one of said brush contacts to successively close electrical circuits to said elements.

6. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 3 in which:

a. said elongated chambers are curvated to substantially conform to the circumferential curvature of said drum.

7. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 3 in which:

a. the said connections between the spokes and the adjacent fluid chambers are positioned in close proximity to the radially distant wall of each chamber to facilitate gravitational expulsion of fluid as the chambers approach the bottom of said drum. 

1. A vapor driven motor comprising: a. a rotatable drum mounted on a horizontal axis; b. a plurality of equally spaced fluid-containing, similar spokes diametrically mounted in said drum; c. a fluid chamber mounted on and communicating with each extremity of each spoke; d. a plurality of individual electrically powered heating elements each of which is associated with one of said fluid chambers; and e. means for successively and individually energizing the elements on the ascending side of said drum so as to thermally drive fluid through each spoke to the fluid chambers on the descending side of said drum to create rotative unbalance.
 2. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 1 in which the spokes comprise: a. straight hollow tubes passing through the axis of said rum in drum spaced apart side by side relation.
 3. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 1 in which the fluid chambers comprise: a. elongated chambers connected at their one extremity to the opposite extremities of their respective spokes so as to lead and preceed the latter in the common plane of rotation of the outer extremity of each spoke.
 4. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 3 in which the heating element comprises: a. a tubular electrical resistance element, b. an insulated heater mounted in the leading extremity of each chamber and supporting the resistance element internally of the chamber.
 5. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 1 in which the means for successively and individually energizing the elements comprises: a. an annular series of brush contacts axially positioned on one extremity of said drum; b. a commutator disc axially and stationarily positioned adjacent said latter one extremity; c. an electrical contact leaf mounted on said disc so as to be frictionally and successively contacted by said brush contacts as said drum rotates; and d. an electrical conductor connecting each element with one of said brush contacts to successively close electrical circuits to said elements.
 6. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 3 in which: a. said elongated chambers are curvated to substantially conform to the circumferential curvature of said drum.
 7. A vapor driven motor as described in claim 3 in which: a. the said connections between the spokes and the adjacent fluid chambers are positioned in close proximity to the radially distant wall of each chamber to facilitate gravitational expulsion of fluid as the chambers approach the bottom of said drum. 